"Christ, Our Propitiation" (Romans 3:25-26)

“Christ, Our Propitiation” (Romans 3:25–26)

Pastor Cameron Jungels

Eastside Baptist Church

Sunday AM, July 2, 2017

 

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood-- to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21–26, NIV)

 

1. God took the initiative to justify us.

 

2. God justifies us through the sacrificial death of his Son Jesus Christ.

 

Christ is the ἱλαστήριον (hilastērion)– the sacred place in God’s presence where the means of sacrifice is accepted, which atones for our sins, placating the holy wrath of God against sinners, being consistent with and for the magnification of God’s glory.

 

3. God’s gracious gift of justification is received by faith in Christ.

 

4. In justifying sinners through Christ, God satisfied his justice for all time, past, present, and future.